The present invention pertains to trim molding for automobiles, and more particularly to a window trim molding for fixed windows.
Window trim molding is commonly used in fixed window installations for automobiles to seal against wind and water, and also to provide an aesthetically pleasing fit and finish by covering the gap around the window installation, between the window and the automobile. This type of window trim molding is often referred to as xe2x80x9creveal molding.xe2x80x9d The molding is installed to the perimeter of automobile window glass prior to installation in the automobile wherein the glass is generally attached to an opening in a body panel with a urethane adhesive. Automotive window trim molding is well known in the art and is generally attached to the perimeter of the glass using a sealant, such as butyl. The sealant may be pre-applied to the molding prior to installation of the molding on the glass.
Prior art window trim moldings suffer several drawbacks. For example, the butyl sealant used to attach the molding to the glass is temperature sensitive and will not perform well if environmental conditions are too hot or too cold. If the temperature is too hot, butyl sealants tend to soften, and if the temperature is too cold, butyl sealants tend to become brittle. Butyl sealants are also messy to apply. They spread easily to portions of the glass where the sealant is not desired and may get on the hands or clothing of the person installing the molding. Furthermore, when the sealant is pre-applied to the molding prior to installation of the molding on the glass, subsequent handling of the molding is hindered by the sealant on the molding.
In some prior designs, improved gripping of window trim molding to automotive glass has been attempted by forming the molding from relatively stiff polymeric materials. However, these stiffer moldings are more difficult to install to the perimeter of the glass, compared to molding made from softer polymers, especially around corner portions, as a result of the accompanying decrease in flexibility. Because butyl sealants do not create the necessary bond between the molding and the fixed window, additional urethane adhesive is generally applied beneath the molding to hold the molding in place during the service life of the automobile.
For at least these reasons, a need exists for a window trim molding which can be easily applied to the perimeter of an automobile window glass, and which overcomes the disadvantages of butyl sealants and stiff polymeric materials.
The present invention provides an improved automotive window trim molding which can be quickly and easily applied to the perimeter of a fixed automotive glass panel prior to installation on an automobile body. The window trim molding of the present invention is formed from a relatively soft polymeric material which provides sufficient pliability and flexibility to form to the contours of an automotive glass, especially around the corner portions of the glass. The molding is formed with a channel section which receives an edge portion of the automotive glass.
A double-sided adhesive foam tape, having adhesive applied to both sides of the tape, is applied to the interior portion of the channel so that the double-sided adhesive foam tape may bond to both the window trim molding and the glass panel inserted into the channel. Advantageously, the window trim molding may be bonded to the peripheral edge of the glass panel. The molding is provided with a release liner applied to the exposed side of the adhesive foam tape to prevent premature adhesion of the foam tape prior to installation.
To apply the window trim molding of the present invention to a glass panel, the release liner is removed from the interior of the channel and the molding is fitted to the perimeter of the glass panel by hand. Because the molding is made from a relatively soft elastomer, installers may spread the legs of the channel using their fingers without the danger of getting butyl sealant on their hands during the installation process. The adhesive foam tape accommodates imperfections in the surface of the edge of the glass panel to ensure adequate bonding of the molding and to provide a clean finished look to the installed molding.
In another aspect of the invention, an automotive glass installation includes a fixed glass panel sized to fit in an opening of an automobile body and a window trim molding adhered to the perimeter of the glass panel by a double-sided adhesive foam tape which has been previously bonded to an interior portion of the molding.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method for installing a fixed glass panel in an automobile includes the steps of providing a window trim molding having a double-sided adhesive foam tape bonded to an interior portion of the molding, fitting the molding around the peripheral edge of the glass panel to bond to the molding to the glass panel, preparing the automobile body to receive the glass panel and molding, and installing the glass panel and molding onto the automobile.
These and other advantages, objectives and features of the invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill upon review of the following detailed description. The preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.